


Dead Sea

by peacegirl



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Very small amounts of violence, hints at past abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-28
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-06 18:46:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/738919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peacegirl/pseuds/peacegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gavroche is in need of a tutor, and while Eponine is not too fond of the idea, she warms up to it quickly when she meets the tutor - a lovely young man by the name of Combeferre.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Eponine's phone buzzed furiously, and she fumbled through her messy bag, grasping desperately for it. Managing not to spill any of her coffee as she raced down the street, she pulled her phone out, and stared curiously at the unknown number.

Hoping it was only Cosette, she answered quickly. "Hello?" She asked, unsure of what to expect. Eponine knew she was running late for work, but Cosette would forgive her eventually.

"Miss Thénardier?" It was an older woman's voice, one she did not recognize. 

Eponine paused, she really didn't have time for this. "Yes?"

"This is Sarah Belville, Gavroche's teacher." 'Oh fucking hell', was all Eponine could think. "Do you have a moment?" 

'No, no, no, no, no!' Eponine and Cosette ran a small bookstore together, and Eponine had promised to open this morning, to give Cosette the morning off. But she had overslept after dealing with far too much drama for Eponine's liking the night before. 

"Of course, what can I do for you?" She quickly found it was hard to maintain a professional tone while running through the streets of New York.

"Your brother has been called to the headmaster's office again-"

"Oh." Eponine let out, thinking she was finished.

"For the third time this week-"

"This week?!" Eponine repeated, trying to balance her phone in one hand, and unlocking the store's door with her coffee in the other.

"Which gives a grand total eight times this month." This time there was no paused for Eponine to cut her off in. "We think you need to come in to have a chat with us, as you are his legal guardian after all." There was definitely an accusation in her tone, but Eponine did all that should could to ignore it, or maybe she missed it while she turned on the lights and set up the store. 

Eponine let out a deep sigh before replying, "I understand," was all she could bring herself to say. 

"When would be a suitable time for you?" The old woman asked, and Eponine knew this was more urgent that she wanted it to be. She racked her brain, Cosette was coming in at 3, she would be able to handle the for a few hours alone. 

"I can get off work by 4...?" She asked, hesitant. 

"Excellent. I'll see you at 4pm sharp. Thank you, Miss Thénardier." The voice said sharply, before the phone went dead in Eponine's ear.

Hearing the phone go dead, she threw it down against the counter. "Fuck it!" she cried, as a woman stepped into the store. Today was going to be a long day.

___________________

At 4pm sharp, Eponine arrived at the school, making her way over to the teacher's classroom. She'd had all day to let her anger at her brother subdue, but she knew that upon talking to his teacher she would end up back in the same state she was in this morning.

Upon arriving at her office, Eponine saw her brother sitting by the door looking incredibly bored. The young boy grinned over at her when he spotted her. Eponine rolled her eyes, "I hope you're proud of yourself," she whispered as she walked into the classroom.

The old woman was sitting at her desk, doing her best to look as busy as possible. Eponine coughed slightly to announce her presence, and Gavroche's teacher looked up suddenly.

'Shit, what was her name?!' Eponine thought quickly, “Miss Thénardier.” The teacher said as she stood and extended her hand, showing how formal this meeting was going to be. 'S something... Sally? Susan? Sarah? It was definitely Sarah.'

“Please, call me Eponine.” She corrected immediately, not wanting any connection to her father. She reached over to shake the hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sarah...” She left the sentence fall off, not remembering the woman’s last name. 

“Mrs Belville.” She corrected as soon as the words had fallen from Eponine’s lips, and Eponine had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. “Take a seat,” Mrs Belville gestured to the chair across from her, and Eponine had barely touched it before the woman started talking again. “I’ve called you here to talk about you brother. He is constantly in trouble, whether it be from distracting other students or acting rudely, sarcastically, or inappropriately. His behaviour is completely unacceptable and is no longer welcome in my class.” She paused for a short moment, and Eponine used this moment to interrupt

“Are you trying to tell me his being expelled? Just for misbehaving?” The shock in her voice was evident, for while she had always known that Gavroche had had a flair for disregarding authority, she had never believed that that alone would get him kicked out of school. “Surely he would have to do more than mess around in class for him to be kicked out!” Eponine knew she was getting emotional, but she would not stand for this, not in the slightest.

Mrs Belville then gave a Eponine a small smile, which she must have meant to be comforting but ended up looking terrifying. “Of course not, my dear.” She paused for a short moment, and to Eponine it looked as if she were trying to find a more delicate way of handling the situation. “But, I will no long allow him in my class if this continues. Personally, I feel that he would be more suited to a different kind of class. A class for children more suited to his needs.”

Eponine looked at the woman with an eyebrow raised. “You want to move my brother to a class for kids with learning difficulties?”

Mrs Belville pressed her lips into a fine line. “In short, yes. I believe that this is the reason behind why he so frequently misbehaves during class.”

Unable to stop herself, Eponine let out a short bark of laughter. “He is far too clever to have learning difficulties, trust me. He gets bored, constantly. He finds no interest in your class, so he misbehaves.”

This clearly, was not the response that Mrs Belville was hoping for, because her jaw looked so tightly set that Eponine believed it would crack any moment. “Even if that is the case, Miss Thénardier, he is far behind the rest of the class, and needs to catch up in order to pass the year. And, if his behaviour does not improve then dire measures will have to be taken.” She finished her speech with a curt nod, and Eponine suppressed a groan. 

“What can be done for him to get where he needs to be?” Eponine asked, choosing to ignore the other comments, for Gavroche would always be her first priority, and she needed to think of him. Though Eponine was uncertain of what she could do to help, she did not have the time to help him with all the work he was behind on, she had her work and her own schooling to worry about.

“Well, it just so happens that my nephew is a tutor, and I could easily give him the work that will get Gavroche up to date, but if he believes Gavroche is too far behind, and unable to catch up then I believe we will have to look at an alternate class for your brother.” Mrs Belville paused for a moment, carefully watching Eponine’s reaction before adding “Oh, and don’t worry; he’s doesn’t charge much at all.”

Had anyone else made the comment, Eponine may have been able to pass it as genuine concern for her and her brother’s lifestyle, but from the way this woman spoke it was evident that she meant it in the cruelest way possible. 

Mrs Belville scribbled a name and a number onto a small card, and passed it over to Eponine, she took it without saying a word and stood up. “Thank you for your time, Miss Thénardier.” Eponine glanced back over at the woman, giving her a bitter smile.

“Thank you for everything, Sarah.” She turned around stormed out of the room and as she pocketed the card, Eponine could hear Gavroche’s footsteps running to catch up with her.

“How did it go!?” He asked, a little too excited to see how his sister had handled the woman.

Eponine glanced down at Gavroche, “That woman is a cow, and anything you do in that class with be excused.” She could didn’t miss the wide smile that spread across his face. “But don’t think that means you’re getting off that easily.” The smile faded quickly, but she did not give him time to protest. “She seemed to think you have a learning difficulty, but I quickly put her in her place: we both know you’re just a little shit when you’re bored. But you need to catch up on the work you’re behind on, and dammit Gav, you need to get your ass into gear, or else she’ll make you stay down.” 

Gavroche let out an over exaggerated sigh, “How am I meant to catch up?” he paused for a short moment before adding, “She can’t make me stay down!”

Eponine rolled her eyes, “She can and she will, and you know it. And you’re to see a tutor; her nephew so it would seem, so I’m bloody thankful I’m not in your position right about now.”

“A tutor!” the boy cried, “You think I’m dumb?!” he genuinely looked hurt, and Eponine could not help but feel guilty. She stopped walking for a moment, and knelt down to her brother’s level.

“Gav, I don’t think you’re dumb, and you know that. He’ll just give you work to make sure you’re understanding what’s going on, most likely a shortened version of what you didn’t do during class. Once you’re up to do date, you won’t need to go anymore.” There was a silent 'you wouldn’t have to be doing this if you didn’t misbehave' hanging over them, but Eponine knew better than to say it out loud. Gavroche pouted, but nodded anyway, it was easier on her if he didn’t have much to say on the matter. “Good. I’ll be calling him when we get home.”

_____________________________

Eponine sat down once Gavroche was eating his dinner and let herself relax for a moment before pulling out the boy’s number. She stared at the note, and the rough numbers scrawled onto it, wondering what this would mean for her and her brother. Instead of letting her thoughts get the better of her, she dialed the number, and waited for the man to pick up.

“Hello?” It was a man’s voice, deep and preoccupied, and it occurred to Eponine she was calling around dinner, and she hoped she wasn’t calling at a bad time.

“Um, hi. Is this, uh...” she paused for a moment, trying to read the messy name written in a tiny print under the number, “Com-ber-fair?” 

She heard a tired sigh coming from the end, “Combeferre, yes.” He said, correcting her pronunciation immediately. 

“Combeferre. Right, sorry. This is Eponine Thénardier, your aunt gave me this number, I was told you’re a tutor?” 

“Oh!” He sounded much more alert now, “Eponine,” he said slowly, pronouncing every letter, “my aunt told me you’d be calling – though I should apologize, she can be an, uh, interesting character.”

She laughed slightly, already feeling more relaxed about the whole thing, “It’s no worries. Did she tell you much about the situation, or just that I’d be calling?”

Eponine heard the man – Combeferre, she reminded herself – pause for a moment. “She informed be a bit about what your brother is like in class, and that he was behind in his school work. She said she was happy to give me sections of work that they have completed in class that would give your brother the same understanding of what he had missed, and as long as he kept up to date with me, he’d be able to pass.”

Eponine nodded along, “That sounds good, and as I’m sure you’ll see quickly, he is a bright boy, he just gets bored, and he’s easily distracted.”

“You can hardly blame him,” Combeferre said with a laugh, “I’m well aware of what she can be like, she can turn even the most eager students into becoming bored and distracted – and I would know.”

Eponine laughed, deducting that Combeferre could not be much older than her, or that this old witch had been teaching for an unbelievably long time. “So when would be a suitable time for you to come see Gavroche?”

“Tomorrow is one of the few days I’m free after school hours, either that, or later on in the week?”

“Tomorrow is fine!” Eponine replied quickly, “I should be able to get out of work early, so any time after he gets home should be okay.” 

“We can work out a different time if it’s more convenient for you, I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble with work or anything.”

Eponine smiled into the phone, “It’s no problem, my best friend and I run a book store together, and she understands the situation.”

“You run a bookstore?” Combeferre repeated, the envy clear in his voice, “Oh, that would be incredible!” 

“Yes, it’s wonderful, but also quite handy when things like this pop up.”

Eponine heard Combeferre laugh, “I could imagine! Anyway, I really better be going, I was in the middle of an essay. Just text me your address, and I’ll see you tomorrow. Maybe around 4?”

“Sorry to interrupt you then, but 4 sounds good, I’ll see you then.”

“No need to apologize, it was a welcome distraction. Goodnight, Eponine.” He pronounced every letter in her name again, and she had already fallen in love with the way it sounded on his tongue. 

She stayed there for a moment after the call had finished, listening to the silence, and a part of her had forgotten that this was being organised for her brother.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Combeferre comes around for his first tutoring session with Gavroche, and him and Eponine hit it off.

Thankfully, the bookstore had been quiet all day. Eponine and Cosette had been huddled behind the counter, their legs tangled together in the small space, drinking tea and talking quietly. 

“Sometimes I wonder why we always do this, hiding and whispering, on quiet days.” Cosette thought out loud. 

“Remember that one time we didn’t?” Eponine reminded her, “We were lounging over the counter and calling out to each other across the store, when your dad walked in and he threatened to stop help paying for the store.” 

Cosette giggled, taking another sip of her tea. She and Eponine had known each other their whole lives, but things hadn’t always been the way they were now. Cosette had been living with Eponine and her family as a foster child up until the time she turned eight. The only problem with the Thénardiers’ was that they were unbelievably cruel to anyone who was not one of them, and especially since they had come into some money at the time. Eponine knew no better, and followed her parent’s example; and a day doesn’t go by that these memories make her shudder. 

It wasn’t until Cosette was adopted that Eponine realized how much genuinely liked the girl, and how kind Cosette had been to her in spite of everything. Luckily enough for Eponine, both girls had been enrolled in the same high school, giving Eponine a chance to apologize. She had never guessed it would mean a second chance, but if Cosette was anything, she was kind. 

After finishing high school together, Eponine had taken her Gavroche with her, and left their parents behind. She no longer wanted to rely on people who had such a misguided definition of raising a child, and she could not stand to leave her brother alone with them. 

Cosette was still living with adopted father, whose kindness was only to rival Cosette’s. He had helped fund their dream of running the store together, on the condition they both continue their studies – and they willingly agreed.

“So what time is this guy coming over?” Cosette asked suddenly, with a sly smile that clearly read she wanted information on everything.

Eponine scowled over at her, “4, so I’ll leave here at 3. You’ll be okay for the two hours by yourself again, right?” Eponine said plainly, there was nothing more to it, and she couldn’t understand why Cosette didn’t seem to grasp that. She had told her what had happened: the interview with the bitchy old woman, the phone call, and what Gav would have to do – all because Gavroche was like a brother to Cosette as well. 

Cosette rolled her eyes, “My dearest Ep. I know Parnasse was at your place the other night, and I know you’ve had enough of him now-”

“Just because you have the perfect fairytale romance going on. Not all of us are princesses in need of a knight in shining armor.” Eponine interrupted quickly, she had no idea how Cosette had known Montparnasse had come over, and that she had kicked him out nearly straight away. Eponine and Montparnasse had dated – well, not strictly dated, they’d been fucking, really – for nearly a year before Eponine had finally put an end to it. It had never been a healthy relationship, they were both too messed up to do each other any good, and Eponine was always in a worse way after seeing him. 

Cosette was over the moon to finally have Montparnasse out of their lives, because she knew the constant pain it had put her friend in, and she had wanted this to happen since their whole fling started. So Cosette would definitely be using the slightest mention of any man to keep Eponine distracted and returning to Montparnasse. Because while she would never admit it, Cosette knew that Eponine may not have needed a royal knight, but she didn’t need the magician who clearly had ulterior motives and was just a shady guy in general. According to Cosette, Eponine needed someone who would treat her like she was real, like she was human. Not someone who would fear her to shatter like glass, or someone to cause the shattering themselves. 

Rolling her eyes, Cosette laughed, “If Marius was a knight, he would end up impaling himself with his sword.” Because it did not matter how much Cosette loved Marius, he would always be her adorable little dork. 

Eponine laughed along with her, smiling into her mug. Once, what seemed like a forever ago now, Eponine had met Marius at college, and had fallen in love with in with him on the spot. There was something about his shy smile and quiet eyes that had captivated Eponine, so she took him under her wing. But once Marius had been introduced to Cosette, it had not taken long for Eponine work out that her prince had found his princess. Eponine had never even had a chance to tell Cosette how she felt, but Cosette was her best friend, and she wanted her to be happy. She figured she owed Cosette this much. But it was around this time when Eponine met Montparnasse, and he became her way of dealing with the situation.

The part that Eponine found the hardest was being good friends with both Cosette and Marius. She had most of her classes with the boy, and she enjoyed his company more than she knew she should. Maybe that was part of the reason she had such trouble getting over him, or maybe it was because she never found anyone else worth moving on for.

Kissing Cosette gently on the forehead, she grabbed her bag and said her goodbyes, heading back to her apartment to wait for the tutor. 

________________________________________

Gavroche was already home by the time Eponine got there; they didn’t live far from his school, so he could easily walk home. 

“Hey, Ponine!” He cried as she walked through the door. He was curled up on the couch, ripping into a packet of chips.

“You know how I feel about that name,” she grumbled. Her father called her Ponine. Marius called her Ponine. Montparnasse called her Ponine. None of those counted as normal relationships, so she tried to have the name used as little as possible. “But go and get ready, the tutor will be here in like...” She paused, looking over at the clock. “Fuck. 20 minutes.”

“Why do I need to get ready? It’s just a tutor!” Gavroche’s cry grew distant as Eponine ran into her room, thankful that her job never left her looking too worn out afterwards.

__________________________________

There was a gentle knock on their door, and no, Eponine’s heart did not skip a beat, thank you very much. Gavroche had moved to the door before Eponine had time to think, and she hesitantly followed her brother when she heard voices in the hallway. 

“Hi there! You must be Gavroche?” His voice sounded a little different to on the phone, with a slight hint of an accent in there, but he pronounced her brother’s name perfectly, which simply never happened first try. 

“Yeah, you’re my tutor, right?” Eponine had reached her brother by the time he spoke, and she told him off immediately.

“Gav, don’t be rude, invite him in.” Eponine finally allowed herself to look up and see the man standing in her door way. He was cute. She’d give him that. Cute, but not her usual type. 

“Oh, it’s fine,” he said with a laugh, “It’s a pleasure to meet you both, I’m Combeferre.” He smiled wide, and Eponine had to recompose herself, with a smile like that, he was so much more than cute.

“It’s lovely to actually meet you,” she said honestly, “I’m Eponine, and” she gestured to her brother, “this is Gavroche.” She led the man into their kitchen area, and ushered the boys to the dinner table – Gavroche had set it up to resemble a study space only moments before.

Gavroche and Combeferre sat down, and the later pulled out some work, but before he could start talking Eponine cut him off. “This goes for an hour, right?”

Combeferre turned in his chair, giving Eponine an award winning smile. “Indeed it does.”

Biting her bottom lip, Eponine tried to smile back. “Lovely. Let me know if you boys need anything,” she called as she walked out of the room.

______________________________________

“Hello?” Cosette’s voice was tired, it almost sounded as if she’d been napping.

“He’s cute.” Eponine blurted out, in a hushed voice.

“What?” Cosette yawned into the phone.

“Have you been napping? You’re meant to be at work – but the tutor, he’s cute. Really cute.” Eponine’s words were rushed, as if she suspected him to come rushing into her room and catch her in the act.

“Oh!” Cosette was suddenly wide awake, “What’s he like?”

Eponine paused, it suddenly occurred to her that she’d had all of one conversation with him face to face, and she was running off to her room to tell her best friend out it. She felt like a stupid school girl. She shook her head, what had gotten into her? “Hang on, Gav needs me, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

Cosette’s protests of “You can’t wake me up and not give me any information like this!” and “I hate you!” were quickly put to a halt as she hung up her phone and threw it across the room. ‘What are you doing?’ was all she could think.

______________________________________________

When the hour was nearly up, Eponine emerged from her room, after unsuccessfully trying to catch up on some course work. 

She was pleased to see that Gavroche and Combeferre were still happily working away, to the point when her presence was not noted until she put the kettle on.

Both heads snapped up to the sound of the whistling, and Eponine smiled over at them. “No one gets tea until the hour is up.” Gavroche pouted – she had taught him to appreciate tea from a young age – and Combeferre scowled.

“Good thing we only have a few minutes left.” He said solemnly.

“Are few minutes?” Gavroche asked, “It’s been an hour already?” Eponine tried not to smile at the question.

“It has indeed – but you won’t get tea any faster if you talk though it.” Eponine said with a smile, as she threw the tea bag in the bin. 

She stood behind the counter, patiently sipping her tea, until Combeferre announced that the hour was up. Gavroche scrambled over to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea, while Eponine looked over at Combeferre, “Would you like a drink?”

“Tea would be great, actually.”

“How do you have it?” Gavroche asked, he looking proud of himself for knowing to ask those kind of questions.

“Black, no sugar. Just the tiniest bit of tea.” 

Gavroche scrunched up his face, “You have your tea weird,” he commented, but made it anyway.

Combeferre thanked the boy as he handed him a mug, and Eponine looked over at her brother. “Okay, shoo. We’re going to talk about you now, and I’d rather you not listening in.” She half expected him to protest, but now that he was no longer required to do homework, he was happy to escape from them.

Eponine sat down across from the young man, and took another sip of her tea. “So, how did he go?” 

Combeferre mimicked her, sipping his tea, but smiled. “He did well, you were right. He understood everything perfectly, and it looked to me like he didn’t have any learning difficulties.” Eponine nodded, “And as for the work itself, one on one, he was able to do it fine. I had his undivided attention, and he was able to get a decent amount done.”

A smug smile had fallen upon Eponine’s lips, and if his aunt were here, she wouldn’t have refrained from yelling, ‘I told you so.’ She was about to wrap things up, when it occurred to Eponine that the man still had a mug full of tea, and it would simply be cruel to make him leave without finishing it all. Instead, Eponine gave him a kind smile and was about to ask him about himself, because she knew her brother would be up to date with his help soon enough. Before she could say anything, Combeferre had beaten her to it.

“So tell me about your bookshop. I’ve been seething with jealously ever since you first mentioned it.” A huge dorky-looking smile appeared on his face, and Eponine knew it was genuine. 

About an hour later, Gavroche came out of him room and complained until Eponine called for pizza, and insisted Combeferre stay with them. Complying, Gavroche ate most of it, and Combeferre and Eponine laugh along with him; for a moment, Eponine felt like she had known him for years. 

It was only when Gavroche eventually fell asleep, curled up on the couch that they realised it was well past midnight, and they both had class in the morning. He hugged her when they reached the door, and it lingered longer that an acceptable goodbye-hug. As Combeferre left, he looked back, with a smile that showed how glad he was that she had his number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really wanted to use this chapter so i could give some background information, i promise next time i wont skip out on cute bonding moments


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Combeferre runs into Eponine at work, and Cosette finally gets to meet him.

Eponine may have only had the one class in the morning, but she doubted that she was awake and functioning to have taken anything it from it. 

Cosette was sitting behind the counter when she arrived at the store, her delicate hands clutching a book as if her life depended on it, and looked up suddenly when the bell run as Eponine opened the door. 

“Whatcya reading?” Eponine asked mid yawn, never able to keep up with all the books that Cosette had on the go.

“A Storm of Swords. It’s one of those Game of Thrones books, it’s fantastic but I’m scared of what’s coming.” Cosette finally glanced up from the page, “You look exhausted.” She commented.

Eponine nodded, “I was up late last night.”

Cosette raised an eyebrow, smirking. Eponine scowled, tossing her bag at her friend. “Nothing like that! We were just talking.”

Cosette laughed, “So you admit you were with him.” She added a wink for good measure. “You can tell me all about it in a bit though, now you’re here I can go get coffee, I’ll grab you one too?”

“Thanks.” Eponine sat down at the counter, looking over the book Cosette had been reading. Barely a moment had passed when she heard the door bells ringing again. “Did you forget your purse again?” she asked quickly, assuming it was Cosette.

“I’d like to think not,” a voice replied, deep and familiar, and definitely not Cosette’s.

Eponine’s head snapped up, and she was rather surprised to see Combeferre standing in the doorway, looking just as surprised to see her working there.

“I thought you were my friend, sorry.” Eponine stuttered.

Combeferre smirked, tilting his head. “Am I not your friend?”

Eponine ducked her head, “That’s really not what I meant... I’d just assumed the girl I work with had come back in, that’s all.”

Combeferre laughed, “I know, but you look quite pretty when you’re flustered.”

Looking back up at the man, a curious smile fell across her lips. “So is that why you were asking about the store last night? So you could stalk me just to see me get flustered?”

“In my defense,” Combeferre replied, “I simply asked about your bookstore, I had no idea it was here. Believe it or not, I came here in search of a book. Unless of course you want me to be stalking you.”

“Oh yes, of course,” sarcasm dripping from her tongue. “I’ve always wanted a stalker.” She grinned wickedly. “Then you’ve come to the right place. Can I give you a hand?”

“Then do try to remember you said that,” He grinned, “That would be great, actually. It’s my friend’s birthday tonight, and he’s really into poetry, though now that I’ve started looking around at things, I fear anything I may buy him he would already own.” 

Eponine paused for a moment, taking the information in. “Do you know any poets that he’s into?”

Combeferre considered this before answering. “The romantic type, I suppose. Yeats, E.E. Cummings, Neruda.” There was another pause. “I’m really not the poetry type, I study philosophy, you see.”

“You could always give him something a little different to what he’s used to then? It’ll give him something to think about. Plus, he’ll appreciate the thought.”

Combeferre nodded along, “Do you have any suggestions then?”

Eponine grinned, where to start? “Well, I’m rather into the beat authors at the moment, maybe some Ginsberg? He’s very different, and a fantastic writer. Bukowski, even? Though he’s likely to have read that...” Eponine continued to discuss poets, trying to engage Combeferre as much as possible, for it was clear he had no knowledge of poetry at all. She showed him a few poems from books they had, and ended up settling on Christina Rossetti. 

“So I might as well ask while I’ve got you here, when were you okay to come around and see Gav again?” Eponine asked once he had purchased the book.

“I can’t tonight,” he held up the bag containing the book. “I’ve left it a bit late, I know. Tomorrow night my friends and I...” He paused for a moment, trying to find the words. “My friends and I are quite big on social and political changes. We have meetings every few weeks, sometimes we organize or attend rallies for causes, those kinds of things. And there’s a meeting on tomorrow night. So any time after tomorrow would be good.”

Combeferre had been watching Eponine, if only to see her reaction to it all, but before she had a chance to reply, Cosette hurried into the store, carrying their coffee. “Sorry it took me so long!” She cried, “The line was huge, and I may have run into Marius- Oh!” She paused for a moment when she saw Combeferre, and searched Eponine with her eyes,  
trying to determine if he was merely a customer, or the mysterious boy she had been mentioning. 

Luckily for Cosette, Eponine quickly put her out of her misery. “Cosette, this is Combeferre, Gav’s tutor. And Combeferre, this is Cosette, my best friend, who can’t seem to understand that when you buy coffee for someone, you’re meant to give it to them before it gets cold.” She said, scolding Cosette as she took a sip of her now cold coffee.

Combeferre gave her a curious smile. “I don’t mean to pry, but you mentioned the name Marius as you walked in... you wouldn’t happen to mean Marius Pontmercy?” 

Cosette paused, trying to recall if the name Combeferre rang any bells. “Yes, actually. He’s my boyfriend. You know him...?” She let it trail of into a question.

“He’s a good friend of mine, and it’s nice to know that he didn’t actually make you up, like some of our friends were beginning to believe.” He glanced at Eponine, “I know him through the group I had mentioned-”

Cosette cut him off suddenly, “Oh gosh! You’re a part of his Les Amis group, aren’t you? He’s been trying to bring me along to one of those meetings for a long time now.”

Combeferre gave Cosette one of his grandest smiles, and Eponine was caught between jealously and joy that it wasn’t meant for her. “Then you should both definitely come along one day. I’ll text you the details for the next one.”

Cosette simply sighed. “Fine, at least I can drag Ep along with me now.”

“Great!” The man sounded delighted, “I’ll let Enjolras know you’re coming, he’ll be thrilled. But I really best be off, though I shall see you both soon.” As he reached the door, he stopped, turning back to the girls. “Oh, and Eponine. Thanks for your help.”

The door had barely shut behind him when Cosette muttered, “You’re right, he’s cute.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eponine and Cosette go along to the Amis' meeting, and Combeferre plays the part of the perfect gentlemen.

As interesting as Eponine found their meeting – gay rights was the current topic at hand – she found herself more fascinated by the dynamics of their little group. Their blonde leader – Enjolras, Eponine reminded herself – was talking animatedly to the group. Most of them had their eyes on him, Combeferre, the redheaded man, the burly one – not the type that Eponine would have picked to be here, but happy to see him all the same – and the dark haired one, who sat slightly apart from everyone else, only tearing his eyes away to find where he had placed his glass. Though from the way he was staring at Enjolras, Eponine felt like there was a little more behind his eyes than supporting their cause. Two of the men – the bald one, and the one with bed hair – were holdings hands, and sitting a little closer together than the others were. From the way they were acting, Eponine quickly guessed they were a couple. It was nice to see that their cause was something that personally affected them, but she didn’t believe they were the only two in here. The boy with the long blonde hair in the ridiculous outfit was having his hair braided by the boy in the bow tie, giving Eponine the impression that they would both rather be somewhere else than paying attention. Marius seemed a little bit too interested in Cosette now that she had actually shown up to a meeting, and Eponine did her best to try not to show how much that it actually hurt.

Eponine did not stay long once the meeting had finished, though she would have liked too. She hated to leave Gavroche home alone at night, and it was already later than she had expected. Marius and Cosette were caught up with each other, so she threw them a quick goodbye that she wasn’t even sure they noticed, and was in the process of sneaking out when Combeferre caught up with her.

“Leaving already?” he asked, grinning.

She gave him a small smile. “I don’t like leaving Gavroche home by himself for too long. But thank you for inviting me, I really enjoyed it.”

Combeferre glanced around the room at his friends, none of which were paying attention to the two of them. “Let me walk you home.” He said, always the gentleman. 

“You really don’t have to...” She started

“I know, but you look like you could use the company.” Combeferre exited cafe as he spoke, and Eponine froze behind him, her eyes following him with a bewildered expression that he missed. She simply had not believed anyone to have paid that much attention to her in a long time, even if it was just a lonely smile that he saw through, Eponine had a funny feeling inside the depth of her stomach that she did not know how to explain. 

Eponine stepped out into the night, and Combeferre gave her a small, reassuring smile. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly

Eponine was not the kind of person confided in people she barely knew, hell, she barely confided in people she had known for years. But Eponine was tired and worn down, and Combeferre’s smile was only too inviting. “It’s just hard, you know?” She said, as if he knew what she was talking about – though Eponine suspected he may have had some idea. “Seeing them both so happy. I mean, I love them both so much, and I only want what’s best for them, but it’s easier when it’s not right there.”

Combeferre was silent for a moment, and the sound of footsteps echoed thought the quiet street. “You could talk to her about it?”

“They’ve been together for too long for me to tell her how I feel now. It would just be cruel.” She didn’t mean to sigh after she spoke, but Eponine couldn’t really help herself. There was something about talking of Marius and Cosette that set her on edge, though it frustrated her even more that she couldn’t talk about her friends without feeling overwhelmed by jealously. 

“Maybe you just haven’t given yourself a chance to move on.” Combeferre said simply. 

Eponine came to a sudden halt. “A chance to move on?” She repeated, wanting to believe she had heard him wrong. “I’ve been fucking the same asshole for the past year, who, mind you, has found every opportunity to make my life a living hell, just so I could keep my mind off him.” She gestured back to the cafe with her head. “And you have the nerve to say I haven’t tried to move on?” She was wound up now, irritated by this man, who was no more than a stranger.

“You misunderstood me.” Combeferre spoke in the same quiet tone he had since they left the cafe, as if her outburst was nothing unusual. “I did not mean you had not tried to move on, only that you had no allowed yourself too.” He saw Eponine furrow her brows. “If you keep spending all your time with them, he’ll still be too close to you, and involved in your life for you to be able to move on.”

Once Eponine was worked up, she had always struggled to calm down quickly. “What am I supposed to do then?” She snapped, “Stop spending time with my two best friends because I’m in love with one of them?” 

“No. I’m not saying to ditch them completely, just find more. Other people to take your mind of them. I did introduce you to a whole group of people tonight.” 

Eponine swallowed, looking up at him, her building was in sight. “But isn’t Marius apart of your little group?” She asked, somewhere between a genuine question and a haughty remark.

“Oh he’s there far less than everyone else, don’t worry. They’d love to have another girl in the group. I’d love to see you more, too.” That was all he had to say to make Eponine double take. She was suddenly desperately curious to know how he meant that. 

“I would like that too,” she spoke softly now, stopping out the front of her building. 

He gave her a kind smile, “Thank you for confiding in me, my dear.” His voice was gentle, and he leant forward to kiss Eponine on the forehead. “I’ll see you soon.” As simply as that, Combeferre turned and left Eponine standing at the entrance to her building, feeling more confused that she had in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter, and still wasn't totally happy with it in the end, but I just needed to move on, so I hope it's okay. 
> 
> Ellen is my hero for beta-ing this (dragonstone on tumblr, go and love her)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavroche and Combeferre have a lesson in the bookstore - and Combeferre and Eponine stay for a chat.

The store had been unusually busy today, which Eponine always enjoyed because it kept her on her toes. Today though, Combeferre had come into the store to tutor Gavroche. Cosette had been unable to cover for Eponine, and she would rather have Gavroche and Combeferre working in her sight – for however good Combeferre may be, Gavroche would far too easily be able to find a way to stop working.

So the two boys found themselves set up at one of the readings tables off to the side of the shop, underneath the window. Every so often, Eponine could see Gavroche look out the window, watching everyone pass by, until Combeferre would draw his attention back to what they were doing.

One customer in particular had sent Eponine on a wild goose chase around the store, searching for numerous books. She was half way across the store when a flash of sunlight caught her eye, which left her confused: it was well into the afternoon now, and rays of light would never reach this far back into the store. Eponine turned quickly, looking for its source, only to realise the light had reflected off Combeferre’s glasses while he was preoccupied with Gavroche. Eponine was certain that she was only smiling because she had located the book, not because a certain boy managed to attract her attention when he wasn’t even aware of it. 

Eponine was almost disappointed that the shop had been so busy, but deep down she was grateful, for she doubted she would have lasted the whole hour with not being able to steal his company away from her brother. 

Every so often there was a gap between customers, which she would use to tidy up books or restock selves, but more often than not, her eyes would drift over to the table her brother and his tutor were sitting at. Only once did he happen to glance around at her and catch her staring, but instead of averting her eyes, Eponine simply grinned and Combeferre returned the smile, to the point that Gavroche looked up at the man to see them smiling at each other, to which is rolled eyes and cleared his throat, causing Eponine to burst into laughter. Her brother telling Combeferre to get back to work was a sight she had never expected to see. 

The hour finished just as it was time for Eponine to close up the shop, and Gavroche quickly informed her that he was going home, and he knew she’d be back soon. Or at least, Eponine expected to be back home soon, it wasn’t like packing up took up that much of her time. 

Combeferre watched Eponine as she was counting the money from the till, “Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked.

Eponine looked up, but kept working. “Oh, you don’t have to stay and help, this won’t take me long.”

The man paused for a split second. “Actually, I was hoping to talk to you for a moment.”

“Is it about Gavroche?” Eponine asked, “He really likes you – and that alone is saying something. He seems to be doing okay though; I hope there haven’t been any problems?”

“Gavroche is doing fine, there haven’t been problems at all, but it’s not actually about him.”

“Oh?” It was more of a question than anything.

“I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime?” His voice was relaxed and steady; this had clearly been on his mind for a while.

Eponine stopped what she was doing, and looking at Combeferre carefully. “You know –” she started. 

“I know.” He interrupted, though he didn’t sound rude; his tone was as understanding as ever. “I know you’ve been through a lot and have strong feelings for a good friend of ours. I know you’ve been with a guy that’s screwed you around but it hasn’t been serious. And I know that you don’t want a rebound guy, and I don’t want to be one. I like you, Eponine. You’re fascinating, and there’s something about you that I can’t put my finger on, but I’d love to be given a chance too.” Combeferre spoke has if he had been planned this since the moment he saw her. It was as if every word he chose had been carefully crafted for this very cause and Eponine could not help but smile – it never ceased to amaze her how well he seemed to understand her.

“I’d like that,” she spoke softly, but she still sounded sure of herself. “I really would.”

Combeferre’s face lit up, almost as if he hadn’t expected her to say yes. She could almost see the cogs turning behind his eyes, calculating his next move. His smile grew wide, “May I kiss you?”

Eponine had to stop herself from giggling. “Nobody’s ever asked me that before.” It may not have been a direct yes – but it sure as hell wasn’t a no either, and as Combeferre leaned over the counter towards her, she leaned in to meet him, fluttering her eyes shut as their lips touched.

Eponine had been kissed by many different boys over the course of her life. Many seemed to blur into the same now: desperate, hungry, lustful, and more excited for what was to follow. Montparnasse kissed her in a way that demanded power, always putting himself in control. Combeferre was different. He kissed Eponine gently, as if there was nowhere more important to him that to be here with her. So softly that Eponine was frantic for more, and as her tongue flicked past his, he seemed to answer her prayers. Combeferre leaned into her, kissing her harder, and she could almost taste his passion. When their kiss started to slow, Combeferre carefully place a peck on her lips, before pulling away.

They paused for a moment, faces only inches apart, both smiling a little wider than they were proud to admit. Eponine quickly decided that on top of understanding people a little too well, Combeferre was good at anything he put his mind too – kissing included. Yet there was a nagging thought, somewhere in the back of her mind, and it did not matter how happy she felt, for one single question played over again and again: would kissing Marius be like that? She felt strangely guilty, though she wasn’t sure why: whether it was because she felt bad for Marius, for kissing someone else (though it was not as if she had not done that before, but none of them had any meaning behind them), or to Combeferre because her mind went straight to Marius afterwards. She tried not to look too strained as she smiled.

“Anyway,” Eponine spoke quickly, “If I’m not home soon Gav will start to get suspicious.”

Combeferre laughed, for once not picking up on how she felt. Or if he did, he didn’t say anything. “I’ll text you soon,” he promised.

“Oh, I don’t doubt that,” Eponine threw him a half smirk, as he leaned over the counter again to quickly press his lips into hers. She could only watch in bemusement as he crossed the store, looking back as he reached the door to smile at her, and ducked out of her shop. 

Eponine tried to feel happy, she had wanted this after all, but uncertainty gnawed away at her insides, and she could only hope things would start to look up.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eponine and Combeferre finally go out on their first date.

Eponine collapsed onto her bed, wearing nothing but her underwear. Cosette was standing in front of Eponine’s wardrobe, staring at it as if its very existence was threatening her.

“Maybe I should just call him back and cancel?” Eponine suggested, as Cosette whipped around, her fixed stare finding Eponine’s eyes.

“Over my dead body." Cosette snapped, then her tone softened slightly, "You’ll been looking forward to this all week and don’t even try to tell me otherwise.” Cosette returned her gaze to Eponine’s clothes.

“But I’ve got nothing to wear!” Eponine whined, and Cosette rolled her eyes, trying hard not to break into a smile. 

Giving in, Cosette laughed as she pulled her best friend of her bed. “Quit your whining; let’s try something at my place.” Eponine begrudgingly nodded, grateful that her best friend had a much wider range of clothes than she did.

She ended up settling on something simple: a black dress that hugged her waist, but flowed out from her hips. Eponine’s hair curled down to her shoulders, and she looked over at Cosette, her eyes searching for approval. Cosette grinned and clapped her hands together.

“You look beautiful,” Cosette beamed as she placed a kiss on Eponine’s cheek. “Now you best get going, you’d hate to be late.”

_________________________________

They had picked a casual restaurant, and Combeferre was already seated when she arrived. He hadn’t seen her yet, so Eponine allowed herself a moment to take him in before she went over to him. She vowed from that moment not to let Marius ruin this evening for her. It was not about him, for he was happy, and why didn’t she deserve to be?

He was staring down at his phone, and had to push his glasses up his nose regularly. Eponine knew better than to assume he was checking Facebook, she had seen his ebook library on his phone. She smiled at the memory. ‘Why do you even use ebooks?’ she had asked, disgusted at him. ‘A story is a story, my dear. And these ones can fit in my pocket.’ But that had never stopped him from carrying a mountain load of books in his bag as well.

Combeferre glanced up for a moment, to look around the restaurant. Eponine realised he was wearing a bow tie, and had to stop herself from laughing, clearly his friends had helped him get ready too, and she felt a little more relaxed.

Finally, Combeferre caught her eye, and his big sheepish grin returned. He surprised her by standing up as she walked to the table, “My lady, you look beautiful.” Combeferre greeted her with a smile.

Eponine rolled her eyes, and shook her head. “You don’t have to do this, you know. The standing up, the treating me like I’m something special.” She wasn’t sure why she said she appreciated the thought, really, but it felt odd to her: no one had ever treated her this way.

Instead of protesting, Combeferre only smiled and reached under the table. “I guess I shouldn’t have done this either?” In Combeferre’s hand he held a bunch of yellow roses, and when Eponine saw these, her face lit up.

For a moment, she was too touched to speak. She wanted to protest, but she couldn’t find the words. “How did you know?” 

“I spoke to Cosette the other day, I ran into her at the bookstore when I was looking for you. And I wanted to get you something special, she told me they were your favourite.” Combeferre explained.

Once again, Eponine had to pause to take his words in. She was used to rushing into things headfirst, but everything seemed to be turned upside down when it came to Combeferre. “You came into the bookstore when I wasn’t there?”

“Believe it or not, dear Ep, I do quite like books, and you do run a bookstore. Don’t think yourself too important.” His tone was light and mocking, but he smiled in a way that made his statement seem otherwise.

Eponine laughed, “That’s all I need, you and Cosette sharing secrets.”

“Don’t worry, they were all kind.”

______________________________________

Dinner passed by uneventfully, but Eponine insisted they stay for desert, and Combeferre seemed only too happy to oblige. 

Once Eponine was preoccupied with her chocolate mousse, Combeferre lost himself in her eyes for a moment. Eponine had seemed to find herself sneaking glances at Combeferre whenever she knew he wasn’t looking. It was the kind of glance she used to devour him with her eyes, because Eponine believed that you could find out more about someone by their subconscious movements, so she was simply trying to take in as much of Combeferre as possible. Yet she was completely unaware that Combeferre had been doing much of the same since she had arrived, but he found it easier to distract himself with simple questions when he feared he may never return from the depths of her eyes. “So, what was it that you want to do once you finish college?” he asked suddenly.

“Hmm?” Eponine murmured, swallowing a mouthful of mousse. “Oh, um. I’m going to be a social worker when I finish school.” She swallowed again, but this time it had nothing to do with the food. “With everything that Gav and I went through, if I could help other kids with that, I’d know I’ve done something right.”

Comebeferre gave her a soft smile. “You really are a remarkable person, you know that?”

Eponine brushed off the compliment with a smile. “And what of you, Combeferre. What would you like to do?”

“I’m studying medicine and philosophy, a combination that often gets questioned, but I had too much interest in one to ignore the other. But I think I’d like to become a doctor, to put that knowledge to use and help people. But I’d love to help Enjolras for as long as I possibly can, there are many ways to change the world, after all.” Hearing him speak of the future and his friends had such a nice sound to it – for of course he would want to change the world, to make it better for those to come.

They (well, Combeferre insisted to) paid for their meals, and he once again offered to walk her home, and the thought of protesting never even crossed Eponine’s mind. As Eponine’s hand brushed past Combeferre's, and he used the situation to his advantage, lacing their fingers together. Eponine smiled, it had been half unexpected and half what she had been hoping for, but that didn’t stop her from melting into his touch as Combeferre tracing soft circles on her hand with his thumb. Combeferre talked of things from his plans to change the world, to his friends, and to his favourite books. Eponine spoke of her tight-knit family that she had created for herself, and wondered if Combeferre would stay long enough to become a part of it, if she would let him become a part of it. 

As they reached Eponine’s building, Combeferre stopped outside the entrance, he unlaced their fingers, tracing his hand up her arm, to rest his palm against her cheek. Instead of asking tonight, Combeferre paused for a moment, the hesitation asking for permission. But Eponine was not concerned for waiting, and she was looking forward to Combeferre feeling comfortable enough to kiss her without warning, reason or permission. Maybe that was another reason she found herself so fascinated by him: his caring heart and kind eyes, made him such an easy person to care for. Eponine had already reached on her tiptoes to meet Combeferre’s lips, and she was all too happy to be kissing him again. Tonight it was different, hungrier. But not yet desperate. Her heart was beating faster, and she kissed him back with everything she could muster. There was something about Combeferre that left her frantic for more of him, but she could tell by the way her was kissing her, it would not be tonight. 

Combeferre placed a gently kiss on her hand when they broke apart, and he smiled down at her. He leaned in towards her again, and Eponine held her breath, expecting him to kiss her again. Instead, his lips were at her ear, and his breath was warm. “I’ll see you again soon?” he murmured into her ear, and his voice left chills down her spine.

Eponine nodded quickly, “I’d like that very much.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Combeferre and Eponine are spending the night at home, when they are greeted by an unexpected visitor.

Combeferre had quickly fallen into the habit of staying with Eponine for hours after he had first tutoring Gavroche. The three of them would get dinner together once tutoring had finished, piled onto the couch to watch movies and eat pizza until Gavroche would eventually fall asleep there, for he would simply hate to miss out on anything. Combeferre would carry him into bed, and Eponine would watch him tug her brother in. Eponine and Combeferre would find themselves back on the couch in a tangle of arms and legs and blankets, and the TV would keep on playing, but neither of them would pay any attention to it.

For the first time in her life, Eponine felt more at home when she was with someone, rather than when she was alone, and she had never found herself this dependent on someone before. Oddly enough, she didn’t seem to mind. 

Gavroche was still yet to question their relationship. A part of her was uncertain if he was even aware, but she knew better than to think too little of him, he was always surprising her with the amount that he would notice about her.

____

Tonight was meant to be no different to any other. Gavroche's tutoring had gone as well as all the other lessons, Eponine had tea waiting for them once they had finished, and pizza was on its way. She had become so used to this little routine of theirs, she could barely remember what it was like without Combeferre in their lives.

Once dinner had finally arrived, Gavroche returned back to his normal chatter, happy to have food inside him. “You’ll never guess what, Ep,” he started, his mouth full of food. “Some kid in my class today was hating on Lagertha today!” He spoke in a way that suggested he already knew how Eponine was going to react, but simply had to tell her.

“Oh yeah?” His sister challenged, “What was the little brat saying?”

“That it was crap that a woman could fight that good! And that there was something wrong with her for not having loads of sons for Ragnar.” Gavroche crossed his arms as he spoke, Eponine’s admiration of strong female character was clearly rubbing off on him.

Eponine leaned towards him, “And what did you say to that?” she asked softly.

“I didn’t say anything.” Gavroche said proudly, as Eponine raised an eyebrow. “I used my textbook as a shield and hit him with it, then I called him a mos-i-gin-est.” 

Eponine burst into laughter. It wasn’t like Cosette’s laugh, light and dainty. When Eponine laughed, she barked; loud and deep, but when she laughed she meant it, and everyone would smile along with her. She kept on laughing as Combeferre spoke.

“I believe you mean a misogynist, Gav.” He said with a smile, trying hard not to laugh along with Eponine. “Though I don’t believe I’m familiar with Lagertha, what’s she from?”

Eponine sobered up all too quickly, even Gavroche’s smile dropped. “You’ve never heard of Lagertha?!" Gavroche cried, as Eponine spoke over the top of him.

“You don’t watch Vikings!?” Eponine shrieked, laughing despite how surprised she was. 

“So she’s from a TV show then?” he asked slowly, a smile creeping across his lips.

“Don’t even start, Mister.” Eponine warned him. “She’s a shieldmaiden from 'Vikings' and everyone ought to be in love with her. I can’t believe you haven’t seen it!” She shook her head as she spoke, “You know what, you’re not leaving here until you understand why she’s so incredible.”

Combeferre simply laughed, “I’m not sure what’s cuter. You when you’re angry, or getting worked up over fictional characters. So both together is quite entertaining.”

Eponine rolled her eyes, and opened her mouth to make a snarky response, but Gavroche cut her off. “That’s really all I needed to hear. I’m going to bed.” Both Combeferre and Eponine laughed as he left to the room, “Enjoy 'Vikings'!” he called to Combeferre before closing his bedroom door.

Now that Gavroche had left, Combeferre pulled Eponine close, and kissed her gently on the lips. “I’ve wanted to do that all night.” He whispered, and she smiled wide, leaning in to kiss him again.

“You really shouldn’t let Gavroche stop you, he’s not stupid, he would have worked it out by now.” Eponine whispered.

“Yes, but wouldn’t you rather keep him innocent for a little bit longer?” When Eponine laughed, he spoke up again, “No more talk of your brother, I want you all to myself.” But as Combeferre leaned in to kiss her again, Eponine gave him a gentle shove, and climb off the couch. 

“I wasn’t kidding when I said you were going to fall in love with Lagertha.” She gave him a wide grin. “Can you set it up while I make us tea?” She asked as sweetly as she could manage.

Combeferre grumbled as he got off the couch. “The things I do for you!” he cried as Eponine skipped into the kitchen. 

She had only been gone a few minutes when they heard someone knocking on the door. 

“Who would be coming over this late?” Combeferre called out to her.

“It’s probably just Cosette, would you mind getting it for me?” Eponine shouted back, over the boiling kettle.

As Combeferre walked to the door, Cosette knocked again, harder and with desperation now. But when Combeferre opened the door, he quickly saw Eponine had been mistaken, and the man standing on the other side of the door was most definitely not Cosette. 

He was taller than Combeferre, lanky, with a black mop of hair that contrasted his perfectly pale skin. The man had deep red lips, and it was hard to say whether he looks more like a man or a boy, but he stunk of whiskey, it was clear from even the way he was standing, that he was drunk. One thing was for certain; he was beautiful, and Combeferre felt strangely aware of his own looks. The two men stared at each for a fleeting moment, before Combeferre spoke up. “Can I help you?” It wasn’t rude, yet the stranger chose to take it that way.

“Who the fuck are you?” The man demanded, trying to look over Combeferre’s shoulder into the apartment. 

“I’m Combeferre.” He said slowly, trying to remember what Eponine had told him once. “And you are...?”

The stranger stared down at Combeferre, his eyes bearing into his soul. Suddenly Eponine's words came back to him: ‘I’ve been fucking the same asshole for the past year, who, mind you, has found every opportunity to make my life a living hell, just so I could keep my mind off him.’ If this was the man who had affected her so badly, Combeferre would not be letting him into the apartment so easily. “Get the fuck out of my way.” The man growled, as he tried to walk passed Combeferre, but Combeferre was determined to stand his ground.

“Ferre?” Both men turned suddenly, hearing Eponine’s voice from the kitchen. “What are you doing in the doorway? Is it Cosette?”

The man noticed Combeferre was distracted, and used this chance to push past him, knocking Combeferre into the door frame as he shoved past, storming into the kitchen.  
“’Ponine.” Was all this man had to say to make Eponine turn around with such fight that she dropped the cup of tea she was holding. 

Everything that happened after that was a blur. Combeferre had never seen Eponine so distressed, as he watched as she fell to the floor, trying to clean up the mess, while the stranger man stared down at her. Unable to stand and watch, Combeferre moved into the kitchen, and helped Eponine to her feet. “I’ll clean that up,” he murmured into her ear, his voice soothing, but it had no effect on her. Combeferre had never seen Eponine like, and all this man had done was say her name. 

“Who the fuck is he, ‘Ponine?” The man asked, with such venom that Eponine looked like she may break under his words. She looked petrified, and Combeferre’s heart was breaking for her.

“No one.” Her voice was tiny, so quiet Combeferre did not believe he heard her at all. “He’s no one, ‘Parnasse.” Her words should not have hurt him as much as they did, but now was not the time to be worrying about himself.

Combeferre moved towards Montparnasse, “I may be no one, but I do care about Eponine. You have no right to be here. Get out.” He was assertive and clear, yet every word just as threatening as if he was screaming them. Combeferre had clearly been spending too much time with Enjolras. 

Montparnasse’s eyes grew wide as Combeferre spoke to him, but narrowed quickly once he had finished, almost as if he could not believe someone was speaking to him in this way. “Care about ‘Ponine?” He repeated, mocking him. “Not sure why you'd want to do that, she’s nothing but a broken little slut, who deserves everything she gets. As for me being here, I have more right than you, you little fucker. She’s mine.” He spat every word out as if it were poisonous, and to Combeferre, they were.

Upon hearing the word ‘slut’ Combeferre’s face grew red with anger. His voice was rising with his temper. “She is not your creature, or your little play thing, that you can come back to when you get bored. She is a living, breathing person, who deserves to be treated like one!” Combeferre’s eyes flicked back to Eponine as he spoke. When he saw her standing in the corner of the room, trying to make herself as small and invisible as she could manage, all he wanted to do was reach out for her. She looked hollow, empty. Like this man’s very presence was sucking the life from her.

At Combeferre’s words, Montparnasse simply laughed. Bitter, mocking and filled with hate, he leant forward, his breath in Combeferre’s face. He too, looked at Eponine as she spoke. “Different from your usual type, isn’t he, ‘Ponine?” He suddenly smiled, but there was nothing friendly about it. It rung with hate, and Eponine had clearly seen this smile more times than she was willing to let on. 

She spoke up suddenly, “Don’t hurt him!” It was the most desperate cry Combeferre had ever heard, and he could not believe how dangerous this man really was. “Please, don’t hurt him.” It came out as a sob.

Montparnasse reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small knife. Combeferre’s eyes grew wide with shock, and Montparnasse laughed once again. “Scared now? Why don’t you just fuck off then, and let me deal with this little whore. No one can walk away from me that easily.” 

As if he expected Combeferre to leave, Montparnasse moved towards Eponine, his twisted smile filling his face. Combeferre stared for a moment – for what seemed like the longest moment of his life – to wait until Montparnasse’s pretty little face was nearly past him. Combeferre moved quickly. He ignored what Eponine was doing, and he certainly ignored what Montparnasse was doing, and as a medical student, Combeferre was well aware how dangerous a punch to the temple could be. “Call her a whore again, and see what happens.” He said in a matter of fact tone, as his fist connected with the side of Montparnasse’s skull, and both Combeferre and Eponine watched as consciousness slipped away, and Montparnasse hit his head against the floor. 

Eponine let out a loud sob, and fell to her knees. Combeferre did not even have to react, he found himself naturally moving towards her, his arms instinctively wrapping around her.

“I’m so sorry...” Eponine mumbled weakly. She could not even meet Combeferre’s eyes.

Combeferre took her by the hands, looking directly into her eyes. “You have nothing to apologize for, my dear.” 

Eponine’s eyes filled with tears, but she would not let them spill over. “I do.” She insisted, her voice gaining some of its usual stubborn demeanor. “Because I’m weak. I act like I’m so strong all the fucking time, but seeing him here like this, everything just comes rushing back–” She was cut off by another sob, and Combeferre pulled her in, when she felt his arms around her, she nearly collapsed onto his chest.

“You don’t have to justify yourself, Eponine.” Combeferre’s voice was as calming as ever, and he felt her relax against him.

Eponine wanted to do more than justify herself, she wanted him to understand why Montparnasse made her feel this way, and why she left him affect her like this. For the first time in Eponine’s life, she wanted to let someone in. But her train of thought was long gone, down the winding the dark tunnel that was her mind. Combeferre kissed her on the forehead, his voice still soft.

“Later.” He whispered, as if he was reading her thoughts, “There’s time for everything later.”

Eponine did not even try to reply, for Montparnasse was stirred, but she had guessed he would not be out for long.

He sat up, rubbing his head, as Combeferre moved to kneel beside him. Both men stared at each other for a moment, but Montparnasse did not have the nerve to speak. “I hope that got the message through nice and clear.” Combeferre spoke clearly, pronouncing each word carefully. He began to stand, still staring down at Montparnasse. “Oh, and you might want to go to the hospital. You’re likely to have concussion.”

Montparnasse stared at them both for an instant, and as he stood and walked towards the door, he walked tall, as if he were trying to grasp onto the last of his dignity. He did not speak as he walked past them; he made no malicious movements until he reached the door, slamming it with force behind him. 

Eponine stared after him, and Combeferre finally allowed himself a chance to breathe. They were both exhausted, so Combeferre took her by the hand, and led her into her bedroom, “You need to sleep, my dear, we both do.”

Eponine paused for a moment, and despite how tired she was, she still could not put herself first. “I need to make sure Gav is okay.” It came out no louder than a whisper.

Combeferre nodded, “Hop into bed, I’ll go and check on him.” He saw Eponine give the slightest nod, climbing quickly into bed. 

Combeferre walked down the hall, and poked his head into Gavroche's room. The boy was laying in bed, whether he was asleep, or pretending to be asleep Combeferre could not say, but he did not doubt that he heard the whole thing. Gavroche did not stir, so Combeferre returned to Eponine to give a full report. 

“Will you stay with me?” she asked softly, once Combeferre had filled her in.

“Of course.” Combeferre murmured, laying down next to her. 

Eponine fell asleep quickly, her arms wrapped around his waist so tightly he was scared he may stop breathing, but despite everything, it only made him thankful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, a huge thank you to my dearest Ellen for doing the beta, I'm scared to think what this would be without her.
> 
> I also really wanted to show Eponine breaking down for once. She's always such a strong character, but she's been through a lot, and wouldn't always be able to cope with it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eponine receives a phone call from an old friend with some big news.

Eponine woke up early to the sound of her phone ringing. So early, in fact, that it was still dark outside. Combeferre’s arms were still tightly wrapped around her, and if she were not so disgruntled by her phone, she would have found nothing nicer to wake up to. Eponine had fallen asleep with her head on Combeferre’s chest, and her arms and legs were curled up around him. She could not help but smile at how perfectly they fit together. 

For a moment she considered ignoring it, for she was too at peace to really care about who could possibly be calling. Even after the events of the previous night, Eponine didn’t feel so bad, for she was waking up in Combeferre’s arms. But Eponine forced herself to answer, knowing that if someone was calling this early, they would surely have an important reason.

“Hello?” Eponine breathed into the phone, trying her best not to wake Combeferre.

“Eponine? Is that you?” The voice on the end was old and ragged, and somewhat familiar.

“Yes...” Eponine answered slowly, trying her best to woke out where she had heard the voice before. “Who’s this?”

The woman on the other end barked a laugh down the phone. “You’ve got to be joking. It hasn’t been that long, has it, deary?”

As the woman spoke, Eponine’s eyes grew wide with fear and familiarity. “What do you want?” She hissed, unsure how to handle the situation.

“Is that how you greet your mother after all these years?” Mrs Thénardier asked, her voice twisting with a smile that Eponine could picture all too well.

“How did you get this number?” Eponine demanded, and Combeferre stirred beside her, “What do you want?”

Eponine’s mother sighed heavily into the phone. “Couldn’t you at least pretend?” She suddenly sounded tired. Old. Eponine did not need to ask what she meant, but she would never be able to pretend that everything was okay. Not after how she left, not after all these years. “I’m only doing you a favour lovey, letting you know what’s been going on.” Her voice had perked up again, and Eponine could not help but interrupt. 

“I don’t care for what’s been going on. I don’t know how you got this number, but I thought it was clear: don’t contact me.” Eponine snapped. She was so worked up now, she did not even realise Combeferre had woken, and was sitting up. She tried to smile at him, to show everything was okay. Though Eponine could picture just how fake it looked. Combeferre only returned her smile with a real one, leaning in to place a kiss on her forehead.

A sigh came through the phone. “It’s a little bit more important that family gossip, dear.” Her mother croaked. Before Eponine could cut her off, she gave in, finally letting Eponine off the hook. “It’s your father.” The old woman almost sounded sad. “He passed away last night, it was a heart attack.” 

Eponine barely heard the words. She stared straight ahead for a moment, and it did not take Combeferre long to realise something was wrong. If Eponine’s mother had kept on talking, they did not know. The phone slipped from Eponine’s hand, but she herself was frozen. 

“Eponine?” Combeferre whispered, his voice was filled with concern. But she did not have the strength to answer him.

Her mind was racing. At first, her mind sprang to Gavroche, and how he would take to the news. But he was still so young when they left, Eponine doubted he would even remember that much, or so she hoped. When Eponine finally gave herself a moment to think, she felt sick to her core. Every wrong her father had ever done to her was being replayed on a loop. Every cruel word on repeat. If she closed her eyes, his face was all she could see, yet if she left them open, they would flood with tears.

Eponine was not even sure why she was crying. The man who had not allowed her to have a childhood, who had does his best to ruin her life, was dead.

Death was so final.

Yet through his death, Eponine was free.

The tears spilt over, and Combeferre was by her side, wrapping his arms around her, and for once in her life, Eponine allowed herself to be comforted and embraced.  
Combeferre did not ask Eponine who had called, nor what they had said to leave her in such a state. Instead, he simply let her cry into his arms, until her tears ran dry, and the broken sobs began to cease. Until Eponine drifted off in his arms, and Combeferre held her tighter, before he too, slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place in the early morning after the previous chapter. Sorry it took me so long to update, and that it's only a short one.
> 
> Again, huge shout out to Ellen, the light of my life

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from the song of the same name by the Lumineers, which will feature a lot more as the story progresses
> 
> This was also written really roughly, so I apologize for any mistakes
> 
> My tumblr is musichetta.tumblr.com dont be afraid to come and be my friend :)))


End file.
